Tribunal sets £13,487.50 fair rent for assured tenancy in London
📌 In brief
The Tribunal decided on the maximum fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977. They considered factors like the Retail Price Index and relevant orders to determine the fair rent. This decision was made on 16th March 2021 by a person and Mrs a person a person MRICS.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, resulting in a maximum fair rent of £13,487.50 per year.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal set a new fair rent of £13,487.50 per year, applying the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 formula.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tribunal determined the maximum fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, considering the Retail Price Index and relevant orders. The decision was made on 16th March 2021 by Mr Stuart Walker and Mrs Sarah Louise Phillips MRICS.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AN/F77/2020/0139
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mrs [RESPONDENT]
Landlord [APPELLANT]
Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT] [NAME]
1. The fair rent is 13487.50 Per Year (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 15 March 2021
3. The amount for services is £2,015.38 Per Year
4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is
361.05 Per Year
5. The rent is not to be registered as variable.
6. The capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 apply (please see calculation overleaf)
7. Details (other than rent) where different from Rent Register entry
8. For information only:
(a) The fair rent to be registered is the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The rent that would otherwise have been registered was £14,000.00 per Year including £2015.38 per Year for services.
[NAME] of decision Tuesday 16th March 2021
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 294.6
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 281.5
X 294.6 Minus Y 281.5 = (A) 13.1
(A) 13.1 Divided by Y 281.5 = (B) 0.04654
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 - NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.09654
Last registered rent* £12300.00 Multiplied by (C) = £13,487.44 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £13,487.50
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £13,487.50 Per Year
Explanatory Note
1. The calculation of the maximum fair rent, in accordance with the formula contained in the Order, is set out above.
2. In summary, the formula provides for the maximum fair rent to be calculated by:
(a) increasing the previous registered rent by the percentage change in the retail price index (the RPI) since the date of that earlier registration and
(b) adding a further 7.5% (if the present application was the first since 1 February 1999) or 5% (if it is a second or subsequent application since that date).
A 7.5% increase is represented, in the calculation set out above, by the addition of 1.075 to (B) and an increase of 5% is represented by the addition of 1.05 to (B).
The result is rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.
3. For the purposes of the calculation the latest RPI figure (x) is that published in the calendar month immediately before the month in which the Tribunal’s fair rent determination was made.
4. The process differs where the tenancy agreement contains a variable service charge and the rent is to be registered as variable under section 71(4) of the Rent Act 1977. In such a case the variable service charge is removed before applying the formula. When the amount determined by the application of the formula is ascertained the service charge is then added to that sum in order to produce the maximum fair rent.
📊 How courts decide similar cases
Among 12 similar decisions in this collection:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £3176.50 rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent for Residential Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £115 Per Week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £733.50 Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Protected Tenancy
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £298/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £219/Week Rent for Assured Tenancy in Bristol
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £271.50/Week Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4168268
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £153/Week Rent for Assured Tenancy in South Sutton
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £20,800/year Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
A snapshot of this collection — not a prediction of your case's outcome.
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- The maximum fair rent was calculated by increasing the previous registered rent by the percentage change in the Retail Price Index.
- A 5% increase was applied because this was a second or subsequent application for re-registration since February 1, 1999.
- The calculation for the maximum fair rent resulted in £13,487.44 before rounding.
- The final maximum fair rent was rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.
- The latest RPI figure used for the calculation was 294.6.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The decision set a new fair rent of £13,487.50 per year for an assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about determining the fair rent for an assured tenancy using the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the fair rent at £13,487.50 per year, applying the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, which considers the latest Retail Price Index figure and the previous registered rent.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 were applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was the application of the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to calculate the fair rent.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, setting the fair rent at £13,487.50 per year.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
For someone in a similar situation, the decision means that the fair rent can be calculated using the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.
